00 - RobIntro.pdf - Ingegneria Meccanica, Nucleare e della ...

Press release IFR International Fed. of RoboticsMunich, 11 June 2008Forecast 2008Market is continuing to grow in the current year.Investments from industry for improving sensor technology like robot vision,force sensing, enhance quality control and inspection. Improvements in remoreoperation and better human-machine interface open new customer groups suchsmall and medium sized companies.Service RoboticsNot possible to provide 2007 figures. In 2006 we estimated about 35,000service robots for professional use and 3.6 millions for personal/domestic use.Example categories: Military robots (unmanned aerial and ground basedvehicles as a response in successful deployment in Afganistan and Iraq),Surveillance and security systems, Automated milking systems,Underwater systems, Robot assisted surgery or therapy.Personal/domestic: high level of distrib. Entertainment, vacuum cleaners, lawng , ,mowers. In 10 years (demographic shift and advances in tech) assistive robotsfor disables and handicapped persons are a key application for service robots.